


The Gospel of Obsession

by Athelia



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Additional Warnings/Tags In Overview, As in the legal definition of rape, Canon-Typical Violence, Dubious Consent, F/M, Mild Smut, Non-con but no actual rape, Obsessive Behavior, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Behavior, Reader isn't the Deputy, Reader-Insert, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Yandere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 17:22:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17207687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Athelia/pseuds/Athelia
Summary: "We want you. We accept you. And we will take you. Willingly or not. And some of you may fight...but in the end you will thank us."A collection of yandere one-shots featuring the Seeds (and other denizens of Hope County if I can figure out how to write for them).





	1. Overview

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't take requests per se, but if you've got some suggestions as to what character, scenario, part 2 etc. you'd like to see, feel free to send a comment my way and I'll take it under consideration when choosing what to write next.

Hello everyone, 

Figured I'd take some time to explain how the chapters are going to be structured and add some more specific tags here since I don't feel like cluttering up the main ones. 

Every one-shot is going to start with the name of the character it's for and then be followed by two numbers (because I'm going all in on that bible verse gimmick.) The first number indicates what one-shot it belongs to while the second indicates the part.

As an example:

John 1:1, John 1:2 and John 1:3 etc. are three parts of the same one-shot. 

John 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 etc. on the other hand are three different one-shots. 

With that out of the way, let's move on to the overview proper. It will be added to as I go along. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**John 1:1 -** Female!Reader, Character Death-Fix, Scarification, Blood Kink (sorta), Fluff Gone Horribly Wrong (Or Right). 


	2. John 1:1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kind soul finds John on his deathbed after his final confrontation with the Deputy and decides to save him despite her better judgement. 
> 
> It goes about as well as you'd expect.

_“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me._   _I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,_   _that they may believe that you sent me.”_

 _When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice,_   _“Lazarus, come out!”_ _The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,_   _and a cloth around his face.”_

 

John’s eyes shot open. He stared up at the mattress of a top bunk. Agony burnt to the core of his stomach. He clutched it, grimacing. His abdomen had been covered in bandages. His torso was bare. A plastered on needle pierced his skin at the joint of his arm. A crimson tube linked it to a blood bag on the stand next to his bed. 

What had happened? Where was the Deputy?! Oh, they were in for a world of hurt…

John managed to sit up. The room he found himself in was full of empty bunk beds. His was close to a wall with a window. A sunbeam floated in from outside. It shone upon his bed sheets, upon the source of heat in his lap. 

It was a girl.

The tiny stool she sat on had been pulled up to his bedside. Her head rested on him while her arms were tucked in beneath her at the mattresses’ edge. Her delicate eyelashes, her rosy lips, every inch of her sleeping face were illuminated by the sunlight. An off the shoulder dress draped her frame. The garment was the color of winter’s snowfall. Elegant, if simple, laces graced the hems of its sleeves, top and skirt. A satin ribbon was tied around her neck. Something was wrong with this girl. The slow pace her chest rose and fell at, her quiet breathing, how the sunbeam made her glow with an ethereal sheen… 

She seemed almost…innocent. Like she’d been blessed by the Lord or walked straight out of a dream. A desire mirroring an itch surfaced within John. How could she appear so free of sin? Surely she wasn’t real…was she? He put his hand on her shoulder. The sun had imbued her velvety flesh with its heat. Thoughts of what he could do to skin as lovely as that flooded his mind. His knife would slice through it with such ease. It was perfect for the Atonement, his touch, his… 

John gritted his teeth and forcefully shook the girl. Her eyes fluttered open. 

        “Huh…? You’re…awake?” The dimness clouding her vision was dispelled in an instant. She catapulted herself upright. “Ah- I’m so sorry! You were supposed to wake up to me, not the other way around!”

John was stuck staring at her. She wasn’t Joseph or Jacob, why would she bother watching over him for God knows how long? 

        “I-I didn’t mean to creep on you while you slept or anything!” she said. “I wanted to make sure the Angel of Death didn’t come pay you a visit…” 

Flashes of John’s “final” confrontation with the Deputy captured his attention. They reignited the inferno inside of him. It was an unholy, raging beast of a fire that destroyed any emotion other than itself. 

        “Tell me everything. Who are you? How did I get here? Where’s the Deputy?! Don’t try to hide anything from me! I have to- no- I  _need_ to know!” 

The girl’s lips curved up in a smile. It was neither shaky nor lackluster. It was…glowing? 

        “Sure. My name is (Y/N) (L/N) but please just call me (Y/N) if you’d like. I’m educated in medicine, so when things turned violent between your Church and the Resistance, I left my parents’ farm to be a helping hand to those in need. I like to follow the carnage, the screams, the gunfire, the planes falling out of the sky, which lead me to you! Your life was ebbing fast when I found you but I patched you up, dragged you to my car and raced you home. As for the Deputy, well…” She glanced off to the side. “…I don’t know where they are. They’ve probably left Holland Valley by now.” 

 **BANG!** John’s fist slammed into the bunk bed’s pole. 

The girl – (Y/N) – jumped in her seat. 

He hurled the sheets off of him and flung his legs over the edge of the bed. 

The burning pain in his stomach heightened. He hugged it with one arm, a hiss escaping his mouth. 

(Y/N) leapt to her feet. 

She grabbed his shoulder. 

        “H-Hey don’t do that! You need to rest; otherwise your stiches might come undone!”

        “I won’t let the Deputy go free so they unleash their wrath on my siblings!” 

        “And I won’t let you go out there and get yourself killed! Your siblings are strong people! They’ll survive until you have recovered.” 

John’s eyes widened. She was…concerned about his safety? Concerned enough that she dared oppose  _him_ , the Baptist of Eden’s Gate? A warm tingle was kindled in his heart. His inner fire dwindled, relinquishing its influence over him. Of course he wasn’t strong enough to confront the Deputy in this sorry state, of course his siblings could protect themselves, unlike him. All he could do for now was to avoid looking worse in front of his savior. 

        “You’re not part of the Project, are you (Y/N)? I wouldn’t have forgotten someone of your…disposition.”    

        “You’re right. I’m not.” 

John expelled a sigh. There it was, the admittance that she was too good to be true.

        “Confess your sins to me then. I may not be able to act on them until I’m fit to give you your Cleansing, but Sloth is - of course - a sin.”

        “Are you…? I wasn’t looking to join your cult – um I mean – Church.” 

        “Isn’t that why you saved me? To secure a place in Eden after the Collapse?” 

        She recoiled, throwing her hands up. “No! You and your family have hurt too many people I care about! To be honest, I was  _this_ close to leaving you at the mercy of Hope County’s wildlife! …Still…” Her eyes held a softness that pulled the curtains to her very soul. “If I had turned a blind eye, I would’ve betrayed myself. I don’t believe anyone is undeserving of compassion. Not even you, John Seed.” 

Her small, tender smile, the pure passion in her words and the way she looked at him all stimulated his heartbeat. The desire she had roused earlier returned in full force. It unfolded from a mild itch to a ravenous crave. How could she be so loving? How was she raised? What was the name of her parents’ farm? How old was she, where had she studied, what was her favorite color; who were the people he had “hurt” why would she cast salvation aside for their sakes were they her friends or family or  _lovers_? She was too good to be a sacrificial lamb for those sinners! He  _had_ to change her mind,  _had_ to teach her the power of yes!

        “Your friends were blinded by sin. They would’ve been spared had they chosen to say ‘yes.’” 

        “‘Yes’ means little when said during torture or when you’re staring down the barrel of a gun.” 

        “Some sinners are harder to redeem than others.” 

        “If you really wanted to save them you’d show them kindness in spite of their faults!” 

        “Watch your pride (Y/N). Who are you to presume my intentions or the intentions of the Father?”

        “I’m simply an observer who’s seen what’s happening to her home.”

        “You’re misguided. Accept my offer and you’ll come to see clearly.” 

        “I’m not…” Her cheeks reddened. “Ah! I completely forgot!” 

She dashed for the exit next to the window. 

A chill crawled up John’s spine. 

He tried to stand up. 

His injuries tore at his innards. 

The agony staggered him, forcing him back down on the bed. 

        “Wait! W-where do you think you’re going?!” 

        “I promised your brother I’d find him as soon as you woke up! I’ll be right back!”

The sunlight burst inside the room as she pushed the door open. For a brief, fleeting moment before she vanished, her body sparkled with the light of heaven. 

The exit slammed shut. John’s sight darted towards the window. Through it he saw several small white cabins carrying the Project’s symbol on their façade. Many Faithful walked the dirt path. (Y/N) wasn’t amongst them. Her absence made John’s desire to understand her all the more gut wrenching. It was the receding water to his thirst, the fruit that eluded him when he attempted to eat. He clamped his fingers into his aching wounds. When would she return? How long could it take to fetch Joseph? She hadn’t lied to him, had she? Worry upon worry ravaged him while he watched the door. Eons passed until it opened at last. 

Joseph entered the building, light blazing behind him. His face lit up at the sight of John. He rushed to his side and wrapped his arms around him. 

        “Praise the Lord! As soon as you were brought to the Compound, I knew he wouldn’t let Death take you from us.” 

John winced. His cursed injuries ruined what should’ve put him at ease, what should’ve made him feel  _right_.  

        “Joseph…”

        Joseph pulled back. He placed his palms on John’s shoulders. “You must be in great pain. Please forgive my eagerness to welcome you home.” 

        “Oh please, it’s nothing… Where’s the girl? Where’s (Y/N)?! You can’t just let someone like her waltz around unattended!” 

        “She’s waiting outside at my behest. She may not be part of our Flock but she’s earned our hospitality and our trust.” 

Knowing she was close yet so far somehow both soothed and rattled John’s nerves. 

        “I beg your forgiveness. T-The Deputy hasn’t reached atonement like you asked. I assure you, the second that girl lets me out of here-

        Joseph gave him a soft squeeze. “Conserve your strength John. The fault lies with me. I see now it is not the Deputy’s soul you were meant to save.”

        “I can reach them! This is just a minor setback!”

Joseph’s forehead joined with his. John closed his eyes on reflex, his breath hitching in anticipation.  

        “The Lord showed me your future would depend on how much love you could let into your heart,” Joseph said. “The Deputy prevailed because they were a manifestation of your wrath, growing stronger as your hatred of them possessed you. In his infinite wisdom God summoned (Y/N) to give you a second chance. If you can return her goodwill she will shower you in the affection you have so long been denied for she is your soulmate and you shall walk through the Gates of Eden together. I have convinced her to remain here until your wounds are healed. You must hurry, as she is a gentle lamb who cannot ignore the cries of the suffering for long. She would throw herself to the wolves so it might inspire virtue in them. You must protect her or she’ll be lost forever.” 

The pieces of the puzzle fell into place. A strange, heatless warmth enveloped John’s heart. It sped up further, almost leaping out of his chest. An ear-splitting grin blossomed on his features. 

        “Yes Joseph. Of course I’ll take care of her.”

 

*******

 

(Y/N) was holding his hands.  _His hands were in (Y/N)’s!_ She guided John out of the cabin, her glittering eyes never leaving his once. Her hair, dress and ribbon waved in the breeze drifting through the Compound. She was radiant beneath the harsh Montanan sun.  She –no,  _they_ \- attracted the glances and the hushed whispers of the Faithful. The Flock stayed clear of the path they were on. Those who walked to the Church went in a large circle around them, bowing their heads as they passed by. A sinful amount of pride swelled in John’s chest. He didn’t have to bundle (Y/N) up in his coat or cover her neck in love bites. Everyone could tell she was his just by bearing witness to her.  

        “Have you noticed?” she asked, brushing her thumb over his fingers. “The sun’s warming our skin, fresh air’s flowing inside our lungs…” 

She cut off their intimacy. 

John’s muscles stiffened. He reached out to reclaim her touch. 

She settled her right hand on his breast along with placing the left on hers. The gesture stopped him dead in his tracks mid-motion. Her alluring lips curved up in a smile. 

“…and our hearts are still beating! Life’s a miracle, isn’t it?”  

John put his hand atop of hers, pressing it harder into his chest. His heartbeat throbbed wildly against her palm.

        “The Collapse will take all of that away. You’ll be left broken, alone and damned unless you join the Project. You need only say one word (Y/N).”

        “Do we have to debate this again? No means no, John.”

        “You don’t understand! I-I…” He cupped her cheeks. He stroked them with his thumbs, mimicking the slow, tender brushes she had bestowed on him earlier. “Please say yes. You don’t deserve damnation.”  

A blush spread on her face. She jolted backwards, shattering their skin-to-skin connection as if his caress was poison to her. 

        “I-I’m grateful for your concern- I truly am -but I can’t do that in good conscience!” 

John’s ribcage constricted. It crushed the fragile organs within. Her rejection bruised him more than the beatings he had endured as a child. It strangled his soul, cut it out of him and ripped it to shreds. He was an empty husk without it- without  _her._ Her approval, her touch, her affection!  ** _Was he so broken, so flawed, so unworthy, that she would rather be damned than accept what he had to offer?!_**     

John stormed up to her. 

He seized her wrists and yanked her into his embrace. 

An adorable squeak flew out of her mouth. 

Under normal circumstances it would’ve sent blood rushing to his privates. In this one it rubbed salt in a stinging wound. 

        “And why not?! Is your soul really so tainted by pride that you’d refuse to let me repay the kindness you showed me?! Or is it not good enough for you- am  ** _I_** not good enough for you?!”   

        “It’s not about that! It’s about the torture, the extortion, the kidnappings and the killings you, your siblings and your followers are responsible for!”

John pressed his forehead to hers. If taking a page out of Joseph’s book had the sliver of a chance to make her see reason then by God he would steal the entire manuscript! 

        “I’ll protect you from the wolves, (Y/N). You won’t have to witness their Atonement.”  

        “I can’t feign ignorance to something horrible like that!” 

        “Atonement is painful, yes, but it’s entirely worth it. Perhaps you could speak to the sinners beforehand. Convince them to admit their transgressions with those sweet, sweet words of yours. It would ease their pain a great deal…”

        “You don’t have to make anyone suffer in the first place! Violence doesn’t do anything good!” A dark haze dimmed her eyes. They plummeted to the ground. “Violence…breaks people.” 

         “Listen to me (Y/N). There’s no walking through the Gates of Eden without forgiveness. There’s no forgiveness without atonement. And there’s no atonement without  ** _pain_. **You’re not helping anyone. Your good intentions are dragging them straight to Hell.” 

(Y/N) didn’t say a word. Her eyes slid up to meet his. He gazed into their depths. Their hues, their softness, the newfound spark they carried, everything about them set his heart aflutter. He teetered on the edge of getting lost in them, his mission fading in and out of his consciousness. His hold on her wrists diminished in strength.

He was too weak. 

She was going to run. 

Those who resisted always tried to,  ** _why wouldn’t she do the same?!_**

(Y/N) broke free of his grasp. She withdrew her head. 

In a second she would turn on her heels and- 

Warmth enveloped John. She had taken him in her arms and buried her face in his coat. 

        “Pain is not the only way. I’m sorry you’ve been hurt so bad you can’t see that… I-I know I shouldn’t assume things but…you  _can_ make peace with your demons.” 

John stood frozen. (Y/N) was cuddling him.  _(Y/N) was cuddling him!_ He quickly reciprocated the hug. Their bodies melded so perfectly it was like she was a part of him. His heartbeat felt different, more  ** _whole._** She was  _his_ deliverance. He would never let her go just as the Lord intended it.  

 

*******

 

Fog had consumed the landscape. 

It pervaded the empty compound. It prowled in the encircling forest. 

A grave-like silence had rolled in with it. I could only hear the dirt crunching under my boots. 

The sky was dark. An orange streak crept up the horizon. 

I was clutching an old leather bag against my chest. 

My eyes shifted back and forth between the cabins’ shadowy windows. 

I snuck out of the entrance gate to the compound. It creaked. 

A chill infested my gut. I ran for the car parked up the road. The small, red Pontiac stuck out in the fog. 

I arrived at its trunk, unbuckled my bag’s front pouch and grabbed the key out of it. 

The cold, damp air made it slippery in my hand. I jiggled it into the trunk’s lock and thrust it open. A bulky cooler box, an AED and other medical equipment cluttered the space. 

I swept some of it aside. I stashed the bag. 

A metallic rattle blared at my back. 

The sound of rapid footsteps followed. 

Paralysis struck me. Why now?! I was  _so_ close to…

The footsteps became louder and louder.  

My heat skipped a beat. I moved to shut the trunk. 

The pursuer pounced on me. One arm captured my stomach while another secured my breast. 

I yelped. Our bodies squished together. My head was tucked under his or her chin. 

A discreet yet distinct smell invaded my nose. It was a musky aroma mixed with a subtle blend of leather and vanilla. 

There was only  _one_ person I knew who had a scent like that. 

My sight slowly dropped to the arms that had ensnared me. 

Please don’t be who I think it is, please don’t be who I think it is…. 

The hands clinging to me were heavily tattooed with symbols and letters alike. Tiny grayish airplanes patterned the fabric of their sleeves. 

        “J-John? What are you-

        “I found your note! You’re not really leaving, are you?! You’re having a momentary lapse in judgment, right?!  _Right?!_ TELL ME I’M RIGHT (Y/N)!”

I bit my lip. His embrace was so tight it was crushing. 

        “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” I said, wheezing. “Now that your stitches are gone you won’t need me anymore.” 

        “Is that all I am to you?! Another patient you could heal then cast aside?!”

Images materialized in my mind’s eye. 

It was midday. A convoy of white trucks pulled up to the porch of my home. 

An army of rifle-toting cultists sprang out of the vehicles. 

They kicked our door in. They flooded inside. They put their weapons to my parents’ and I’s temples. 

        Father screamed. “Don’t you bastards touch my wife and daughter!” 

A peggie struck him with the butt of her rifle. We were forced to watch them pillage our fields- my family’s livelihood- and throw the crops inside their trucks. The fields were barren when they finally left us in peace. So were the fields of our neighbors. 

I grabbed my medical equipment, hurled it in my car and drove off, my parents yelling at me to be careful. I checked on everyone we knew. Some were uninjured. Some needed patching up. Some had vanished. Others weren’t so lucky. 

Rae-Rae was lying dead in a pool of her own blood when I found her. Her farm abandoned. Boomer gone. 

All in the name of the Seeds. 

All in the name of the man who was hugging me. 

        My eyes fell to the ground. “…No. You’re far more than that for better or for worse.” 

        “Ah… Of course you care about me. Joseph’s never wrong…”

The dreamy tone in his voice was eerie to say the least. 

        “Um, John? Are you all right?”

        “You scared me, darling. Please don’t pull a prank like this again.” 

        “I’m not pranking you! I’m sorry but I really do have to leave!” 

        “No- you can’t!” He nuzzled my hair like a cat marking its scent. “Please stay with me,  _please_ , I can’t go back to being alone!”

My imagination conjured up another memory. 

I was in the backseat of a car. 

The side of my face was pressed to the broken window. 

My frame was numb. My vision was blurry. Slanted. 

A human shape was in the front seat. His head had cracked on the asphalt. Gooey red brain matter had been splattered all over. Pieces of glass poked out of it.

Something prodded my right flank. A small, mutilated arm. 

I was reminded of what John had said about pain and forgiveness. It tugged at my heartstrings. Yet I couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. 

        “You won’t be alone. Your siblings love you very much don’t they? I-I’ll come back to visit sometimes…”

        John’s grasp tightened even more. “Why come back to visit when you can stay forever? You’re…you’re special (Y/N). Please don’t abandon me now that I’ve found you…” 

As much as his honeyed words gave me the warm fuzzies, I couldn’t risk staying. 

I poured my strength into my muscles, pushed at him so they quivered. His arms withstood me with ease.

I tried stomping on his feet. My blows didn’t connect. 

        “Hope County is a warzone right now! People are dying I have to help!” 

John released me. 

He whirled me around and snatched my waist. 

        I inhaled a sharp breath. “What are you…?!” 

He lifted me up, slinging me over his shoulder. 

        “P-Put me down!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. 

        He carried me off to the compound. “It’s always those sinners with you! No matter what I say or do you keep siding with them! You refuse to see that they’re using you!”

        I punched him in the back. “No they’re not! Let me go right now!” 

        “There you go again! I’ll pull the wool from your eyes, my dear, sweet, (Y/N). Soon you’ll see those filthy wolves for what they are.” 

A frigid knot clustered in my chest. I struck him harder. Faster. More times. 

John kept on walking. He muttered something to himself. Something that didn’t cease. 

He barged through the entrance gate. It was shut with a bang. 

A couple of cabins lit up. Their wispy light tinted the fog yellow. 

Using the weight of my torso, I rammed my elbows into John. 

He didn’t stagger. Or pause. Or grunt. 

I rammed him again. 

No reaction. 

My breathing was getting rapid. We were at the center of the compound. Hemmed in by high barbed-wired fences. Besieged by the forest. On a small island with one road. That was the stronghold of Joseph Seed. 

A burst of energy hit me. I wiggled, jabbed and clawed at John in hysteria. 

We exited the small arched gateway near the church.  

John veered to the right. Silver Lake infiltrated my view. The mist was thick on its waters. 

        The sight petrified me. “No- stop it! I told you, I don’t want- 

        “You had plenty of opportunities to do this willingly,” he said, continuing to move along the shore. “You’ll thank me when it’s over.” 

When 30 feet of distance separated the compound’s borders and us, he came to a halt.

I steadied my breath as he stepped off the rocky coast and into the lake. 

The rippling water rose up below his knees, nearly grazing his coat. I inhaled a huge tuft of air. 

John put me down in front of him. 

He grabbed my arms, shoving me backwards. 

I clashed with the water’s surface. 

Icy liquid engulfed me. It numbed my frame. 

John pinned me to the lake floor. His hazy, winding figure towered above me. 

         “We must wash away our past. We must expose our sins. We must atone. For only then may we stand in the light of God…” 

He dragged me to my feet. My hair as well as clothes stuck to my skin. The morning air cut me to the bone.I shivered.

        He traced a cross over his chest then poked my forehead. “…and walk through his Gate unto Eden.” He swept a lock of my hair behind my ear. “There… Doesn’t it feel good to take the first step?”

I slapped John across the face. 

I sidestepped him and sprinted for the shore.

If I could make it off the island the Resistance could- 

Splashes sounded behind me. 

They were on my tail. 

I sped up, leapt out of the water and onto the shore. 

Something grabbed my arm. 

It was tugged at. A jolt shot up to my shoulder joint. 

I was twisted around. 

A push knocked me off my feet while my head was still spinning. 

I crashed to the ground. Dull pain battered my backside. 

My eyes slammed shut. I blurted out a cry. 

John straddled me. Next thing I knew, his hand was on my throat. The pressure prodded at my gag reflex without cutting off my airway. 

I swiftly looked up at him. John’s ocean blue eyes were fixed on me as if in trance. Darkness had overtaken them. 

        A wicked grin was plastered on his face. “Now isn’t this a surprise? I almost didn’t believe you were capable of Wrath.”

        “Get off of me, you- you- you deluded bastard!”              

John’s grin faltered. His features betrayed a glimpse of anguish for a brief second.

        “Confess your sins to me (Y/N). No one but I will hear them out here.” 

        “I’m not telling you a thing!”

        “I suppose you don’t need to. I already know your sin.” He blinded me with his free hand. “It’s the reason you’re wandering in the darkness. Why you refuse to let me show you the light.” He relinquished my throat and cupped my chin, lifting it up. “Your sin is Pride. I’m unable to indulge it any longer.”

John snagged my left shoulder. He took his hand off my eyes and thrust it inside his coat pocket. 

I laid statue still. I could guess what he was hiding in there. 

He pulled out a slender brown hilt. Two of the cult’s cross-like symbols were carved over and under its button. He pressed it. A sharp blade sprung up. 

My sight was drawn to it. It was so clean, so…lacking in bloodstains. 

He moved the knife below my left collarbone. Its tip hovered above me.  

The blade descended. Inch by inch it came nearer. My breathing ceased. 

The knife penetrated my flesh. John slashed it downwards. Tiny drops of blood trickled out of the scarlet gash. He removed the blade and went on to carve the next letter. Pain didn’t erupt in the first wound until the second was done. I was too enthralled by observing how my skin was sliced apart to take much notice. I couldn’t deny that my breast felt empty when the fourth jagged letter had been etched, the agony burnt and there was little blood to show for it. I captured John’s wrist. He attempted to wrench the knife back. My grip locked it in place. 

        His brows bumped together in a scowl. “Don’t. It’s supposed to say ‘Pride’ not ‘ _ride._ ’”

        I mirrored his expression. “Your cuts are too shallow. The blood won’t spill unless you go deeper.” 

        “Oh? You’re actually enjoying the pain I’m giving you?” He chuckled to himself. “Ah, you’re a gift that keeps on giving.” 

        “I don’t like the pain at all! It’s the blood, the torn flesh, the horrific ways a body can be mangled… You use pain to cope with your problems. I cope with mine by finding comfort in horror.” 

        “As tempted as I am to satisfy your desire we must focus on the task at hand. Atonement is meant to be sacred after all…” 

The blade reentered my skin. I vied for control of the knife. John’s grip remained steady. He engraved a near bloodless P alongside the other letters. My temper flared up. He’d trampled on my agency, scarred me for life and he couldn’t even grant me a shred of cruel mercy. I thrust his hand away, concealed the gashes and glared at him. 

        John bared his canines. “Will you, (Y/N) (L/N), place your hand upon my heart, I, the brother of Joseph, and renounce your sins and admit your transgressions?”

        “The only thing I’ve done wrong is not letting you bleed to death!” 

        “That’s the Pride talking. Y-you don’t really mean that…” He stroked my clammy cheek. “You’ll say yes, won’t you? Please don’t deny me again. I need you far more than anyone else ever could…” 

        I jerked my head away from his touch. “I’ll say it the day you stop torturing people!” 

        “For fucks sake (Y/N) I’m not asking for much here! It’s one word-  ** _one single little word!_** Your Pride is absolutely…” He closed his eyes, inhaling a deep breath. Detached mania flashed within as he reopened them. “…It’s not your fault. Your nature draws you to sinners, compels you to love them despite their crimes. It’s no wonder they’ve lead you astray.” He swept his thumb over my lower lip. “I’ll find your beloved ‘friends.’ I will pull their confessions from their mouths and have them atone for turning you against me. Every rejection that has ever left your beautiful lips will be another sin carved into their flesh. We’re at least up to eight.” 

The picture of several skin patches stabled to a wall while my parents- my neighbors- writhed on the floor took root in my mind. It was a punch to the gut that utterly deflated my ire.

        “Y-you…” 

Tears welled up in the corner of my vision. I raised my trembling hand. 

Last night’s diner threatened to crawl up my food pipe. I placed my palm on his heart.

        “I…I’ll atone.”

        A husky moan rolled off of John’s tongue. “Finally…” 

He plunged his knife into the reddened, unmarked skin next to the P. The cold steel delved deep, ripping my flesh asunder, scratching at the tissue rubbing against it. Piercing throbs ravaged the area. Teardrops cascaded down my face. A scream built in my throat. I grit my teeth. The scream burst out of me regardless. The blade cut across the letters. Blood oozed out of the incision. It streamed out on my skin as a sticky, lukewarm coating. It glistened with the promise that those I cared about would be safe. 

        “Perfect,” John said, letting go of my shoulder. “Tell me you’ve seen the light. Prove that you’re free of sin.”

        “I-I was wrong… Exposing someone’s sins through pain is a kindness. Without atonement compassion and forgiveness can’t bring salvation. My-my- the ones I’ve helped have been taking advantage of me. I…can only truly help people if I stay with you.”

        A blush enveloped his features. “Yes! Ah, you’re  _so perfect_ , my dear! To think God has sent one of his angels to be mine and mine alone… I’ll make you so very happy, I promise~”

John leant in, settling his hands besides my head. His musky vanilla-tinted scent along with his hot breath enraptured my senses. I squirmed at close he was getting. His lips joined with mine in a tender kiss. My pulse skyrocketed. He lingered awhile before he pulled back and claimed my mouth again. The veil of chastity was gone, primal passion having been beckoned to the surface. I gasped into the kiss. A tingle was provoked at the junction of my thighs. It contrasted my aching wounds in a strange way that heightened my awareness of both sensations. John slipped his tongue over my bottom lip, administering soft bites while his taste was fresh on it. Tension filled his movement. The self-restraint that prevented him from exploring me further, from shamelessly ravishing me in earshot of the compound, was dangling by a thread. The thought of submitting my most intimate and vulnerable state to John Seed of all people sent spine-chilling shivers through me. His lips wandered to my fiery cheek. They kissed away every single tear on it one by one. Once gone, he went on to bombard my other cheek with his affection. Not a single patch was left wet or untouched. His lustful tenacity accelerated the rise in my temperature. John began trailing kisses down my neck. His smooth beard rubbed my naked flesh, pleasuring it with a tickle. I pursed my mouth shut in order to suppress a moan. John parted his lips and pressed them firmly into the crook of my neck. He sucked my skin in a slow, rhythmic fashion. Racy noises mounted in my throat. I bit down on my tongue. If he kept it up I might… 

John brushed his teeth over my flesh, nibbling slightly at it. His sucking was growing fiercer by the millisecond. I was something to be devoured, to be used up, so that his sick hunger would be satisfied. The frenzy possessing was proof of that. A wave of heat erupted in my stomach. I couldn’t… 

A feline mewl passed my lips. The sound of my weakness made John purr in euphoria. He withdrew and planted a sweet kiss on the area he’d marked.  

        “Don’t hold back, darling. Say you love it; say you love  ** _me._** ”

        “L-Love? It hasn’t even been two weeks!”

He gently traced the letters he had wreaked on me with his index finger. My wounds prickled at his caress. The mixture of pleasure and pain mystified my body. It couldn’t decide whether it should wince or drench my panties in arousal.   

        “You have to take responsibility for what you’ve done to me,” John said. “I haven’t been able to live without your affection since you first blessed me with it. Every second you withhold it is pure agony.”

I reached out for him. All of the cells in my being begged me not to fulfill his desire. 

I stroked his silky hair. He melted into my touch. 

        “Don’t stop. It feels…nice.”  

        “…I love you John.” 

        “I-I…love you too, (Y/N). I won’t let anyone tear us apart in this life or the next.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you've got a suggestion for a scenario, character or additional parts you'd like to see, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll take it under consideration when choosing the next one-shot to write.


End file.
